$15 in Minneapolis

After years of low-wage workers organizing against poverty wages, the Minneapolis City Council has finally introduced the initial language for a $15 minimum wage ordinance. With the City of Minneapolis facing some of the worst racial disparities in our nation, we need to ensure that every worker gets to $15 as soon as possible with no tip penalty, no carve outs for youth, and strong enforcement to prevent wage theft (see this recent study by the Economic Policy Institute highlighting the need for stronger enforcement against wage theft).

$15 an hour would give a raise to 71,000 workers, disproportionately workers of color, immigrant and female workers. The City of Minneapolis’ economic impact study confirms that $15 would give a massive stimulus to the local economy and help reduce food insecurity.

Help us ensure that we pass a strong ordinance for $15 in Minneapolis.

On the second anniversary of the untimely death of Teresa Benson – fast food worker, CTUL member and leader in the Fight for $15 – the City of Minneapolis is holding a Public Hearing for $15. CTUL members are dedicating this day to Teresa and the many other low-wage workers who have died prematurely due to the impacts of poverty wages.

April 2016 – 5th Fast Food Strike. Striking workers led actions in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Over the next several months, workers won two of the strongest Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) municipal policies in the country: May 2016 in Minneapolis and September 2016 in St. Paul.

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Summer of 2016 – CTUL, NOC, $15 Now and other allies organizations turn in thousands of petition signatures to put $15 on the ballot. Ultimately the Minnesota Supreme Court decided that $15 could not be put on the ballot in November 2016 so the fight continued.

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Fall 2016 Minneapolis forms the Workplace Advisory Committee to explore the possibility of $15 in Minneapolis. CTUL member and leader in the Fight for $15, Cristina Cortez, is selected to join the committee.

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November 2016 – 6th Fast Food Strike. Workers from 10 different industries representing around a quarter of the entire workforce in the Twin Cities metro area unite in the #Fightfor15, calling on corporations and elected officials to ensure that $15 for families becomes a reality in Minneapolis and in all of Minnesota.